Primary oocytes that are arrested in first meiotic prophase for years enter maturation process to meet a critical precondition for successful fertilization. During maturation, oocyte finishes meiosis I and progresses to the metaphase II stage, achieving meiotic maturity. Although importance of oocyte maturation for oocyte quality has been recognized, it is not fully understood for molecular mechanisms underlying oocyte maturation. Here, we found that dexamethasone-induced Ras-related protein 1 (RASD1), a member of RAS superfamily of small GTPases, was expressed in the mouse ovary. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that Rasd1 expression was dominant in oocyte cytoplasm. Real-time PCR and RT-PCR analyses showed that Rasd1 mRNA was steadily expressed in germinal vesicle (GV), germinal vesicle break down (GVBD), metaphase I (MI) oocytes, but decreased in metaphase II(MII) oocytes during oocyte maturation. Konckdown of Rasd1 using RNAi system in the GV oocytes suppressed oocyte maturation through disruption of meiotic spindle and formation of misarranged chromosomes. Taken together, Rasd1 is a critical factor for MI-MII transition of oocyte and is involved in the regulation of spindle formation during oocyte maturation. Further study is needed to examine relationship between Rasd1 and spindle formation in MI-MII transition.

Adipogenesis is critical in development and homeostasis of energy metabolism. However, in these days, the obesity has become prevalent and became a cause of medial complication. Various applications have been suggested to prevent or decrease accumulaiton of energy in fat cells. However, those have little usefulness and have various side effects. Diphlorethohydroxy-carmalol (DPHC) is a phlorotannin compound, with various biological activities in vitro and in vivo. In here, we studied that DPHC could modify the accumulation of fat on integument. The size of adipocytes and thickness of the subcutanous fat tissue was analyzed after treatment of cosmetics contained 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, or 10 % DPHC using NIS Element D 4.10.00 software (Nikon). The viability and proliferation of cell was analyzed after 0, 0.4, 2, 10, or 50μg/ml of DPHC treatment using MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazo-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay (R&D system, Cat # 48090-025-k) and measurment of doubling time. Accumulation of lipids in differentiating preadipocytes was analyzed with spectrophotometer after Oil Red-O staining. The size of adipocyte and thickness in skin was decreased in DPHC treated mice. The metabolic activity and doubling of 3T3-L1 were suppressed by DPHC in concentration dependent manner. DPHC also inhibit accumulation of lipids in the adipocyte. The expression of the marker genes for adipocyte differentiation coincided with cytochemical results. Base on them, it is suggested that DPHC has antiobesity effects in integument through suppress accumulation of lipids and suppress the proliferation and differentiation both of adipose stem cells and precursor cells.

Golden hamsters are seasonal breeders whose reproductive activities are active during summer. Their sexual function is completely suppressed in winter. In oriental society, traditional medicines have been utilized in treating various complaints. One of them is Cynomorium songaricum (CS) whose extract has been used in treating male impotence and sexual dysfunction. We investigated the effects of aqueous CS extract on the process of spermatogenesis in golden hamsters. The animals were divided into 4 groups: long photoperiod (LP) control, short photoperiod (SP) control, and SP animals treated with low or high concentrations of CS. The animals were daily intubated with low (1.25 g/kg) or high (2.50 g/kg) concentrations of the CS aqueous extracts for 8 weeks. The control animals received the vehicle. The volume of testis was measured consecutively from the same animal at 4 week intervals. As results, the LP control animals showed large testes that indicate reproductively active function, but SP control animals displayed remarkably reduced testes that reflect inactive function. The outcomes of the reproductive activity from low concentrations of CS were not conspicuous. And the integral consequences of the reproductive activity from high concentrations of CS treatments were not significant either. But in tracing the individual animals treated with high CS extract, the effects were evidently splitted into dichotomy. In one subgroup small testes were displayed as in SP control animals, but in the other subgroup large testes were demonstrated as in LP control animals, which implies the absolute prevention of regressing activity by SP. These results suggest that the CS extract has a potency to prevent the regressing effects of SP and promotes the male fertility by strengthening the spermatogenesis in the golden hamsters.

"Sunny Gold", an Asiatic lily variety was released by the National Horticultural Research Institute (NHRI), in 2006. A cross was made between a yellow colored Asiatic lily variety "Mona" and a light yellow colored Asiatic lily variety "A93-15(Sunray x Foxtrot)" in 1996. Selection was made in the natural cultivation condition from the progenies derived from the cross between "Mona" and "A93-15" in 1998. The flower characteristics and performance of "Sunny Gold (line name was Wonkyo C1-88)" were investigated from 2000 to 2005. Although its flowering time is middle of the June, year-round cut flower production was possible by storing the bulbs at -1 or -2℃. It has unspotted, upward facing, and yellow petals with no fragrance. The plant height is 87.3 cm. The width of flower is 14.2 cm. The weight and circumstance of bulb are 15.2 g and 10.9 cm, respectively. For forcing culture, it is necessary to add calcium to the fertilizer or remove side scales to prevent leaf scorch. Botrytis disease should be properly controlled especially in wet season.

"Pinky Smile", an Asiatic lily variety was released by the National Horticultural Research Institute (NHRI), in 2006. A cross was made between a light pink colored Asiatic lily variety "Marlene" and a white colored Asiatic lily variety "Pinguin" in 1998. Selection was made in the natural cultivation condition from the progenies derived from the cross between "Marlene" and "Pinguin" in 2000. The flower characteristics and performance of "Pinky Smile (line name was Wongyo C1-82)" were investigated from 2001 to 2005. Although its flowering time is early June, year-round cut flower production was possible by storing the bulbs at -1 or -2℃. It has unspotted, upward facing, and ivory-pink (RP62A+W155B) petals with no fragrance. The plant height is 107 cm. The width of flower is 13.9 cm. The weight and circumstance of bulb are 39.3 g and 15.4 cm, respectively. For forcing culture, it is necessary to add calcium to the fertilizer or remove side scales to prevent leaf scorch. Botrytis disease should be properly controlled especially in wet season.

A new gerbera variety 'Claret' was released by the National Horticultural Research Institute (NHRI) in 2006. A cross was made between 'Rako' with pink and semi-double and 'Sessile' with orange and single in 2000. After investigation of the characteristics for 6 years (from 2000 to 2006), it was selected specially for the use of cut-flower. 'Claret' is vigorous cultivar with purple and semi-double. It produces a large yield with continuous supply of flowers and has adequate peduncle height and brilliant color. We believe that 'Claret' has a great potential for expanding cultivated area of domestic mini-gerbera cultivar and increasing farmers-income.

A new gerbera variety 'Peach Honey' was released by the National Horticultural Research Institute (NHRI) in 2006. A cross was made between 'Ansofie' with white and semi-double and 'Lilabella' with pink and semi-double in 2000. After investigation of the characteristics for 6 years (from 2000 to 2006), it was selected specially for the use of cut-flower. 'Peach Honey' is vigorous cultivar with salmon and semi-double. It produces a large yield with continuous supply of flowers and has adequate peduncle height and brilliant color. We believe that 'Peach Honey' has a great potential for expanding cultivated area of domestic gerbera cultivar and increasing farmers-income.

In rice-barley cropping systems, efficient utilization of barley straw is essential, both to improve the soil fertility and to conserve the environment. In order to identify the effects of barley straw mulch rates in rice cultivation, a rice cultivar, 'Gancheogbyeo', was directly seeded on a no-tillage field synchronized with barley harvesting with five barley straw mulch rates, i.e., 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 ton h a-1 and agronomic characters of rice and soil nitrogen were determined. The increasing of barley straw mulch rates. Dominant weed species, chestnut, occurred in large amounts in no mulching or lower mulch rates than in higher mulch rates. The content of N H4 ＋ -N in soil applied with high barley straw mulch rates was lower during the month after seeding, and then it was higher at heading date, compared with lower mulch rates or no mulch plot. As the barley straw rate increased, maximum tillering stage was delayed, and plant height was reduced. Although the lodging of rice plants was seldom observed in all plots, the breaking strength of the culm was significantly higher in the mulch rate of 10.0 ton h a-1 . With an increase of barley straw mulch rate, the effective tillering rate and spikelet number m-2 decreased while ripened grain ratio increased. The rice grain yield was slightly decreased with an increase of barley straw mulch rate, although significant differences were not found all barley straw mulch rates. These results suggest that there is no significant yield loss although the total barley straw production, approximately 5.0 ton h a-l in the present study, apply in the paddy for the following rice cultivation by no-tillage direct seeding.ect seeding.